Swanning In Good Company

Newcastle Herald

Monday May 19, 2008

with Anita Beaumont and Jade Lazarevic

THREE years ago Mitchell Rayner told The Word of ambitions to be accepted into the Australian Ballet by age 20.

The Junction-raised ballet dancer has fulfilled his dream, having earned a place in the prestigious Melbourne-based company that offers only a handful of positions each year.

"I didn't think I was going to get a job because they were telling me all the things I needed to work on," Rayner said.

"But during the interview they said, 'Oh by the way, you've got a contract' and I was like, 'Oh my God'. It was so exhilarating. I rang everyone and told them.

"It's something I have dreamed of for as long as I've been doing ballet."

Rayner's dance career began as a student at the Hunter School of Performing Arts in Broadmeadow where he had a choice of studying dance, music or drama.

A desire to dance as skilfully as his fellow student led him to enrol in classes at Robyn Turner Ballet School in Charlestown.

"Ballet was never something I had considered. My teacher told me to start off with ballet because it's the basis of all styles. She told me to do it for six weeks and if I didn't like it I didn't have to come back, but I fell in love with it automatically."

Rayner spent years studying at the Australian Ballet School in Melbourne before joining the company.

The 20-year-old recently performed in the company's production of Swan Lake and almost had to pinch himself after he came off stage.

"I remember I went to see Swan Lake and now we've just finished performing it. I can't believe that I was in it after all these years. It's crazy."

In September, Rayner flies to Paris to perform Swan Lake before concerts in London and Manchester.

© 2008 Newcastle Herald

Back to News Index | Back to Home